Autopsy Crows thrash swan (don’t worry tho, this game won’t define us)

[Bloods86]

I look at whats been put in front of me from the clubs social media, players social media and then look at performances the players are putting I can say the focus should be more football performance oriented.

Clearly I’m not saying this is the entire problem, I believe it’s a part of the problem of the final product we are putting out.

If you think it’s not then that’s ok we can disagree.

I think you're making a connection between what the marketing and comms department put out on social media, that probably takes a small amount of player time/attention around footy related stuff, and what the players/staff are doing within the footy department regarding training, reviews, drafting, development, selection, on-field tactics etc. I just don't see evidence of this connection. Or that it's different for us versus other clubs which are more or less successful, or players of other clubs who probably post similar content (whether it's related to any social causes or just them having fun).

I think there can be an argument about us having lost the "Bloods culture" of accountability (on field, at selection and within coaching ranks) and ruthlessness (in terms of fitness, physicality) etc, but I just don't see evidence of this same connection that others do.

Now, I would like some more frank language from the club about performances, on and off field, less corporate speak when discussing this i.e. pointing out our "successes" last year, and less fluffy posts when it's tone deaf due to performance (I did make a joke a while back about changing my name to Seltzers86 when there was a post about some players Seltzer business, but I don't actually think that makes a difference to performance in a way that's different to other clubs/players).

 

[Olian]

Fox Footy is trying to pump it up as a story …. trying to get the outrage machine going.

For the first time this year, the Swans will be in the press quite a bit this week.

Lol we won’t make the press it will be about the Cruws player. Although we should because 2 weeks in a row we have been non-competitive.

When was the last time a Lions, Cats or Pies player said anything. Good teams don’t need to.

 

[WillHayward]

It's drafting AND development as you say. It's hard to know exactly how bad our drafting has been (and I have some gripes), when we've been largely outclassed in the VFL for the last 3 seasons.

I don't think we can suddenly improve the quality of top ups, so it's probably worth drafting a few more mature bodied 18 year olds even if they aren't the most talented / highest potential option at the pick. Ceiling might be lower, but they might actually hit it.

Bang on.
The VFL side was the proverbial canary in the coalmine

 

[Superstar swan]

I don’t disagree with what Milera said , however I don’t think wce ever had the piss pulled so publicly by an oppo player.

Let that sink in

 

[Troystenvic]

Club should learn a lesson...... Non Swans people need to get a hold of the boys club and tear it apart. Need fresh eyes that aren't red and white

 

[Kennedy Parker]

I didn’t say that players being distracted was the only reason for the performance, I said I believe the entires clubs focus isn’t where it should be and that’s part of the issue.

How can the marketing / administrative departments of the club gear more focus towards football performance though, given they aren't involved directly in the football side?

Social media people will post random stuff for every club, the GWS one is basically a feed full of memes. We can post more football highlights but surely touting off-field initiatives and celebrating on-field performance are not mutually exclusive.

As for the corporate office, we recently in 2023 underwent a major upgrade to our training facilities at the SCG. I imagine you'd agree that the intention of us investing in state-of-the-art training facilities is to support improving football performance (unfortunately is not translating into results at the moment).

My point is I think we're doing quite a number of things wrong at the moment, but the problems are mostly specific to the football department, we're not shambolic as an organisation and we're doing some things right. The coaches and players should have more than enough tools at their disposal to succeed and if they aren't able to manage a turnaround within the next couple of years we'll need to replace them with coaches/fitness/performance managers/players that will.

 

[Kennedy Parker]

Think we should probably be a bit more concerned about scoring 1 goal in 3 quarters of football than an off-the-cuff comment from Milera lol

 

[wolftone57]

There not even playing for there new coach

There is something up behind closed doors cause that response after last week is damming

Why would they play for a coach that has not even put in place a system?

 

[wolftone57]

Anyways according to some, all is good and we’re still only 3 wins away from the 8

Three wins way and a century

 

[Bloods86]

My point is I think we're doing quite a number of things wrong at the moment, but the problems are mostly specific to the football department, we're not shambolic as an organisation and we're doing some things right. The coaches and players should have more than enough tools at their disposal to succeed and if they aren't able to manage a turnaround within the next couple of years we'll need to replace them with coaches/fitness/performance managers/players that will.

I think there's a limitation to this. The club has spoken about how hard it is to get off field talent to Sydney (I think GWS has made similar comments). That's why we've seen some shuffling between clubs rather than wiping the slate clean.

Maybe nothing can actually be done about this. I reckon a flag in recent years probably helps attract ambitious types, but can't change that now. Nor the top up situation for VFL (worse obviously when we've had depth players hit by injury last year and players at both levels hit this year). So we might just have to figure out other ways to build resilience/leadership. More mature types drafted that can hold their own in the higher level reserves comp we're now in even if they have a lower ceiling, maybe using a rookie spot specifically for someone who we see as a playing/assistant coach type in the VFL. Not ideal to have to do this, but it's an avenue to improve at that level, because without it we might be stuffed anyway.

 

[RUNVS]

Just got off a 13 hour flight. Was expecting to lose but my eyes almost went out of their sockets when I saw we lost by 90 points.

 

[wolftone57]

Some years just do be like that

It's why you gotta win the flag when you get the chance

Team is just mentally cooked now

It has nothing to do with being mentally cooked because we didn't do welll in a GF. You are overrating GF psychology. What it has to do with is not being able to compete due to lack of method/system

 

[Kbroome]

Just got off a 13 hour flight. Was expecting to lose but my eyes almost went out of their sockets when I saw we lost by 90 points.

Don't bother watching a replay

Grundy was the only Swan to win their direct matchup

We couldn't kick and Adelaide couldn't miss

END OF STORY

 

[Kbroome]

It has nothing to do with being mentally cooked because we didn't do welll in a GF. You are overrating GF psychology. What it has to do with is not being able to compete due to lack of method/system

Method is broken we barely go through the centre anymore. Short chip 45* kicks have gone out of the system

Also think there is some issues with some of the players mentalities, don't think its GF based, think its more complacency due to the VFL being beyond pathetic both team and individual wise

 

[wolftone57]

Probably the most difficult market in the world tbh with so much sports happening in the one state. No excuses tho, other fans like those of the Dees and Tiges have stuck through hard times

That's crap. Dees fans go skiing as soon as Dees are shite.

 

[wolftone57]

Watching the last 2 excruciating games, I don't blame fans for dropping off

we were more watchable in 2019-2020

honestly i cant believe i watched the entire ****ing game, ive never been even close to turning it off until todays game

We were more watchable in the early 1990's

 

[wolftone57]

I don't think dropping players en masse sends the right message after a night like tonight, because there's no way we can drop enough players that deserve it. Plus we don't have enough players to come in. Also our failures were ultimately structural across the whole ground, not really down to a lack of effort per se.

Instead I'd prefer we keep changes to a minimum and instead put the onus on the players to respond. We saw a glimpse of spirit at the start of the second half. Challenge the team to build on that and respond next week. Swinging the axe would just be shifting chairs on the titanic.

Start of the second half we responded for about 10 minutes.We were murdered by the Crows. We put up little resistance. We had no system. That is the reason we got shafted. I could not believe how bad we were. But we were. It was as though we were laying down for the bookies.

 

[wolftone57]

The 7 hour grand final review has given the players PTSD

They are mentally done, no coming back from this sadly

This is bullshit. Several ex players who have been through this have said this is shite. Doesn't even register once the game is gone. What they say is that if the positive vibe is not maintained then problems exist. But not to do with the GF but with the season at hand. We have some REAL problems. I think the players need to confront Cox. This is about the lack of system not the GF.

 

[wolftone57]

Controversial opinion, but I think the architect of our current demise is Longmire.

Yes. I think he has inspired this system that is not a system. We ply a game plan that is not good. Old. Other teams know it is old. We get found out against the best. We are not system based so if a layer comers into our Seniors he plays blind. I thought Syd was ok. But had no idea was was required

 

[wolftone57]

We need big bodied players . It’s so noticeable how small we are .


Curtin is a second year player and he has a more mature body than nearly every player on our list

Curtin is 197cm. We needed to play Blakey on him. But we chose to play Blakey on a Key Forward.

 

[wolftone57]

• I'd say it was building towards this by Cox accepting what he has accepted from the leaders for so much of the season. Cox has waited way too long, it's time to set some standards can't just scapegoat Florent and say that's enough. Although the standards across the club including VFL are a disgrace atm. Time to absolutely swing that axe, way too many are too comfortable.
• You can tell they don't practice tackling as much as other clubs do.
• Lloyd, Adams are sooo cooked. Blakey just gives up and stops so often....he's really pissing me off atm. He kind of epitomises our roll over/give up attitude.
• Thought Grundy was really the only one who had a fair dinkum go all night. Mitchell was one of the better players which says alot about form/attitude of alot right now
• There's personnel problems sure, but the structure is a mess and so is selection. Terrible decision to make Cleary sub...and yes our first choice forwards are injured....so that's going to hurt our scoring......but why are we playing VFL defenders, rucks and midfielders in our forward line over VFL forwards. As shit as our midfield and back half ball users are going they've got nothing to connect with because .... surprise, surprise rucks, midfielders and defenders don't move or position themselves as well as forwards.
• I'd say write it off and let it be one of those years and grab a high draft pick, but this group doesn't need anymore excuses to roll over. They must be taught to fight it out. So rather have a worse draft pick and teach these ****ers to fight.
• I'd also say it's never as good as it seems or never as bad, but we're at the critical crossroads, I feel, where we could go either way, we could shoot back up to the top or become a WC level basket case. Must spend the rest of the season building depth, structure and sorting out the side and have a very competent off-season recruitment wise. Off field recruitment as important as on-field, there's been a lot of poor recent decisions across many levels of the club so they need to get their shit together off-field too. It's about 26 now and there's lots to sort out.

Blakey is being played as a Lock Down Back. That is not his DNA. Cox is an idiot. He made Cleary sub after a game he made Cleary the small closest to goal. I don't think Dean Cox has a ****ing clue.

 

[McRobie]

How can the marketing / administrative departments of the club gear more focus towards football performance though, given they aren't involved directly in the football side?

Social media people will post random stuff for every club, the GWS one is basically a feed full of memes. We can post more football highlights but surely touting off-field initiatives and celebrating on-field performance are not mutually exclusive.

As for the corporate office, we recently in 2023 underwent a major upgrade to our training facilities at the SCG. I imagine you'd agree that the intention of us investing in state-of-the-art training facilities is to support improving football performance (unfortunately is not translating into results at the moment).

My point is I think we're doing quite a number of things wrong at the moment, but the problems are mostly specific to the football department, we're not shambolic as an organisation and we're doing some things right. The coaches and players should have more than enough tools at their disposal to succeed and if they aren't able to manage a turnaround within the next couple of years we'll need to replace them with coaches/fitness/performance managers/players that will.

Because they use the players and their time and their focus and absorbing social media with non footy stuff whilst a true club, fk me, for the last time I said it’s not the entire problem.
I acknowledge your point, you think it’s impossible that player could be distracted, you think they are 100 percent dialed in.
Great we disagree.

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

AFL always overstates the crowds by a lot. If you were going purely by official attendance figures, you'd assume GWS were a well supported club with impressive home crowds. It's complete bullshit. I think it's the only sport that outright lies about the crowds.

I envy your ability to accurately count tens of thousands of people. That’s some freakish skill.

 

[McRobie]

I think you're making a connection between what the marketing and comms department put out on social media, that probably takes a small amount of player time/attention around footy related stuff, and what the players/staff are doing within the footy department regarding training, reviews, drafting, development, selection, on-field tactics etc. I just don't see evidence of this connection. Or that it's different for us versus other clubs which are more or less successful, or players of other clubs who probably post similar content (whether it's related to any social causes or just them having fun).

I think there can be an argument about us having lost the "Bloods culture" of accountability (on field, at selection and within coaching ranks) and ruthlessness (in terms of fitness, physicality) etc, but I just don't see evidence of this same connection that others do.

Now, I would like some more frank language from the club about performances, on and off field, less corporate speak when discussing this i.e. pointing out our "successes" last year, and less fluffy posts when it's tone deaf due to performance (I did make a joke a while back about changing my name to Seltzers86 when there was a post about some players Seltzer business, but I don't actually think that makes a difference to performance in a way that's different to other clubs/players).

Ok you’re 100 percent right players are 100 percent dialed in. Absolutely no way they could be distracted or have priories wrong. Absolutely no chance.

 

[wolftone57]

I think you're making a connection between what the marketing and comms department put out on social media, that probably takes a small amount of player time/attention around footy related stuff, and what the players/staff are doing within the footy department regarding training, reviews, drafting, development, selection, on-field tactics etc. I just don't see evidence of this connection. Or that it's different for us versus other clubs which are more or less successful, or players of other clubs who probably post similar content (whether it's related to any social causes or just them having fun).

I think there can be an argument about us having lost the "Bloods culture" of accountability (on field, at selection and within coaching ranks) and ruthlessness (in terms of fitness, physicality) etc, but I just don't see evidence of this same connection that others do.

Now, I would like some more frank language from the club about performances, on and off field, less corporate speak when discussing this i.e. pointing out our "successes" last year, and less fluffy posts when it's tone deaf due to performance (I did make a joke a while back about changing my name to Seltzers86 when there was a post about some players Seltzer business, but I don't actually think that makes a difference to performance in a way that's different to other clubs/players).

We don't have a Bloods Culture anymore. We are soft as Marshmallow. We are shite. Those players in the Grand Stand yesterday would have been ashamed of our players.